Cleaning nozzle attachment for a suction cleaner

ABSTRACT

A cleaning nozzle attachment for a canister-type suction cleaner or built-in cleaning system, wherein an electric motor driven brush roll is rotatably mounted in a suction chamber in the body of the attachment so as to agitate a portion of the rug or carpet underlying the suction opening of the attachment when the latter is in operation. A socket member is pivotally mounted at the rear of the body and serves to communicate suction to the suction chamber through a plurality of connected tubular wands which are detachably connected to the socket member and which provide a handle for manipulating the attachment. A pair of wheels are carried by the wand socket member and the downward thrust component from the wands is transmitted to the wheels rather than to the socket member by mounting the wheels on the socket member so that the wheel axis is substantially intersected by the axis of the wands. A lost motion connection between the wand socket member and the nozzle body permits substantially vertical relative movement therebetween so that the nozzle body &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;floats&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; bodily on the surface of a rug or carpet being cleaned. A pair of ramps are provided on the nozzle body, which coact with a pair of trunnion pins on the wand socket member to cause the wheels to be positively extended to a predetermined lowered position with respect to the underside of the nozzle body when the wands and socket member are pivoted to an upright position.

ai ted States Patent 11 1 Brooks et a1.

[11] 3,9&223

[45} Sept. 30, 1975 1 1 CLEANING NOZZLE ATTACHMENT FOR A SUCTION CLEANER[75} Inventors: Joseph F. Brooks, Bloomington;

Robert B. Meyer, Normal, both of Ill.

[73] Assignee: National Union Electric Corporation, Greenwich. Conn.

221 Filed: Jan. 11, 1974 21 Appl.No.:-432,679

Related U.S. Application Data [62] Division of Serv No. 268.126. June30. 1972, Pat. No.

Primary E.\(III1I II(')' Peter Feldman :Lvsismnl E.\'umim'rC. K. Moore:IIIUI'IIP)" :Igcnl. m- FirnlHibben, Noyes & Bicknell [57 I ABSTRACT Acleaning nozzle attachment for a canister-type suction cleaner orbuilt-in cleaning system wherein an electric motor driven brush roll isrotatably mounted in a suction chamber in the body of the attachment soas to agitate a portion of the rug or carpet underlying the suctionopening of the attachment when the latter is in operation. A socketmember is pivotally mounted at the rear of the body and serves tocommunicate suction to the suction chamber through a plurality ofconnected tubular wands which are detachably connected to the socketmember and which provide a handle for manipulating the attachment. Apair of wheels are carried by the wand socket member and the downwardthrust component from the wands is transmitted to the wheels rather thanto the socket member by mounting the wheels on the socket member so thatthe wheel axis is substantially intersected by the axis of the wands. Alost motion connection be tween the wand socket member and the nozzlebody permits substantially vertical relative movement therebetween sothat the nozzle body floats bodily on the surface of a rug or carpetbeing cleaned. A pair of ramps are provided on the nozzle body whichcoact with a pair of trunnion pins on the wand socket member to causethe wheels to be positively extended to a predetermined lowered positionwith respect to the underside of the nozzle body when the wands andsocket member are pivoted to an upright position.

11 Claims, 14 Drawing Figures US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet 1 of33,908,223

US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet 2 of3 3,908,223

US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet 3 of3 3,908,223

CLEANING NOZZLE ATTACHMENT FOR A SUCTION CLEANER This is a division ofapplication Ser. No. 268,126, filed June 30, 1972, now US. Pat. No.3,815,170.

This invention relates to attachments for vacuum cleaners, and moreparticularly relates to a rug and carpet cleaning nozzle attachmentwhich incorporates an electric motordriven brush roll to improve thecleaning action thereof and which floats on the surface of a rug orcarpet so that an optimum cleaning action is obtained.

Various types of attachments or accessory tools have been heretoforedeveloped for use with Vermeulen, canister and uprighttype vacuumcleaners, in order to improve the efficiency of such cleaners and toextend their usefulness. Some of the attachments heretofore developedfor use with canister-type cleaners have attempted to duplicate thecleaning efficiency of upright cleaners on rugs and carpets byincorporating rotatable agitators in the suction openings of theattachments to impart a beating and sweeping action to the surfaces ofthe rugs or carpets being cleaned. Examples of the latter type ofattachment are disclosed in the Gerber, US. Pat. No. 2,591,250, Sparklinet al., US. Pat. No. 2,980,939, Vermeulenn, U.S. Pat. No. 3,184,776 andFerraris et al., US. Pat. No. 3,387,319 patents.

Cleaning nozzle attachments of the type disclosed in the aforementionedpatents have not provided entirely satisfactory for various reasons. Onereason is that many of the attachments did not make any provision forcompensating for irregularities in'the surface and/or thickness of therug or carpet being cleaned. Consequently, the nozzle openings thereofdid not at all times make good contact with the surface of the rug orcarpet being cleaned and cleaning efficiency was therefore re duced. Inaddition, cleaning nozzle attachments of the type disclosed in theaforementioned patents were difficult to push on a shag carpet.

Some of the nozzle attachments heretofore advanced did attempt tocompensate for irregularities in the surface and/or thickness of the rugor carpet being cleaned by permitting the nozzle body to float on thesurface of the rug or carpet. An example of an attachment of this typeis disclosed in the hurd, US. Pat. No. 2,842,793. The floating actionprovided by the Hurd attachment'is, however, of the oscillating ratherthan the vertically reciprocating type. 7 Consequently, the nozzleopenings of such attachments likewise did not at all times make goodcontact with the surface of the rug or carpet being cleaned,particularly with shag rugs and carpets.

A number of the attachments heretofore developed were also objectionablefrom a stability standpoint in that, because of the relatively smallsize of the nozzle body thereof, such attachments were easily tippedover if accidentally bumped or jarred while unsupported.

Accordingly, it is a general object of the invention to provide a noveland improved cleaning nozzle attachment which overcomes theaforementioned disadvantages and objections.

Another object is to provide a novel cleaning nozzle attachment of thetype that is adapted to be manipulated over a rug or carpet by one ormore connected tubular wands, wherein the attachment is substantiallyfree of any downward component of the thrust force applied to the wandsto manipulate the attachment over the surface of a rug or carpet to becleaned.

A more particular object is to provide a novel cleaning nozzleattachment of the character described, wherein a lost motion connectionis provided between the body of the attachment and a wand-receivingsocket member thereof so that the entire nozzle body is free to float onthe surface of a rug or carpet being cleaned. I

A further object is to provide a novel cleaning nozzle attachment of thecharacter described, wherein a novel mechanism is employed forpositively extending a pair of wheels at the rear of the nozzle body toa predetermined lowered position with respect to the underside of thenozzle body when the wand receiving socket of the attachment is swung toan upright position so that the attachment is stable while resting on asupporting surface.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following detailed description and accompanying sheets of drawings,in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cleaning nozzle attachment embodyingthe features of the present invention and showing the latter as it wouldappear when connected to the suction inlet of an associated canistertypesuction cleaner by a plurality of connected tubular wands and a lengthof flexible hose;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the attachment and connected wandsections shown in FIG. 1, and showing, in broken lines, the approximateposition that the wheelsat the rear of the attachment and the wandsocket member thereof would occupy when the attachment is in use;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken along the line 3ofFIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view, with most of the base plate thereof brokenaway to show internal structural details, of the cleaning nozzleattachment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 55 of FIG.4;

FIG. 5a is a fragmentary, longitudinal sectional view, similar to FIG. 5but with portions of the attachment removed, showing additionalstructural details of the wheel extending mechanism;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, longitudinal sectional view taken along theline 66 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a rear elevational view, with portions broken away to showinternal details, of the attachment illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4;

FIJG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view, similar to FIG. 5, showing analternate construction of the mechanism of the attachment for extendingthe wheels to a lowered position which stabilizes the attachment whenthe wands and wand socket are pivoted to an upright position;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view, similar to FIG. 8but with portions of the attachment removed, showing additionalstructural details of the wheel extending mechanism;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the portion of the nozzleattachment shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary bottom plan view, similar to FIG. 10, showingan alternate cross sectional shape for the guideways of the attachment;

FIG. 12 is a horizontal sectional view, with a portion thereof inelevation, through one of the wheels and an alternate guide constructionof the attachment; and

FIG. 13 is an end view of the guide illustrated in FIG. 12.

Briefly described, the present invention contemplates a novel cleaningnozzle attachment or accessory tool, which is primarily adapted for usewith a canister-type suction cleaner, although it is also suited for usewith the so-called central or built-in type systems. Such attachment, tobe hereinafter described in detail, includes a nozzle body having asuction opening in the underside thereof adjacent to the front end ofthe body, and a hollow socket member that is centrally pivotally mountedat the rear of the body. The socket member communicates with the suctionopening in the underside of the body and has a tubular portion forreceiving one end of a plurality of connected tubular wands. Agitatingmeans in the form of an electric motor-driven brush roll, is rotatablymounted in a chamber in the body above the suction opening and isoperable when driven to impart a beating and brushing action to the rugor carpet being cleaned.

In order to permit the nozzle body to float on and thus assume anoptimum position with respect to the surface of the rug or carpet beingcleaned, a lost motion connection is provided between the nozzle bodyand the wand socket member. Such lost motion connection includes atleast one and preferably a pair of vertically extending, transverselyspaced guideways in the nozzle body for slidably receiving the endportions of an axle mounted in the body. Bearing means are mounted onthe end portions of the axle and are vertically shiftable in theguideways. A pair of wheels are also mounted on the axle between thesocket member and the guideways. In one embodiment, the guideways aresubstantially circular in cross section and the bearing means comprisesubstantially spherical guides. Consequently, the axle may rock in atransverse plane through the guideways. In another embodiment, theguideways are non-circular in cross section and the bearing meanscomprise disks having substantially the same cross sectional shape asthe guideways. Conse quently, in this embodiment, little or no rockingmovement of the axle can occur in the plane of the guideways.

The downward component of the thrust force applied to the wands by auser is prevented from being applied to the nozzle body by locating theaxle on the socket member so that the axis of the axle is substantiallyintersected by the axis of the connected wands.

The nozzle attachment, to be hereinafter described in detail, alsoincludes mechanism for extending the wheels to a lowered position withrespect to the underside of the nozzle body when the wands and wandsocket member are pivoted to a substantially upright position. Suchmechanisms includes at least one ramp carried by the nozzle body and atleast one abutment carried by the socket member and movable intoengagement with the ramp as the socket member is pivoted to an uprightposition. Releasable retaining means is also provided for releasablyretaining the wheels in the lowered position. In one embodiment, thereleasable retaining means comprises a depression in the ramp and springmeans for engaging and biasing the abutment into the depression. Inanother embodiment,

the releasable retaining means comprises a shoulder on the ramp.

In FIG. 1, a rug and carpet cleaning nozzle attachment embodying thefeatures of the present invention is illustrated and indicated generallyat 20. In the illustrated arrangement, the attachment 20 is shownconnected to a canister-type suction cleaner 21 and will be describedhereinafter in connection with such cleaner.

It should be understood however, that the attachment.

20 could also be used with some other suitable source of vacuum, such asa central or built-in cleaning systern.

In order to facilitate manipulation of the attachment 20 over thesurface of a rug or carpet to be cleaned, the lower end of at least oneand, in the present instance, a pair of connected tubular wands 22 and23, is connected to the tubular portion 24 of the socket member 25 thatis novably mounted in the attachment 20. One end, indicated at 26, of alength of flexible hose 27 is shown connected to the upper end of theconnected wands 22 and 23, and the opposite end, indicated at 28, of thehose is shown connected to the inlet of the cleaner 21.

Referring now to FIGS. 2, 4 and 5 in conjunction with FIG. 1, it will beseen that the attachment 20 comprises a generally box-like housing orbody 36 having a transverse dimension that is approximately twice asgreat as its longitudinal dimension. As used herein the termslongitudinal and transverse relate to the normal direction of movementof the housing 36 over a rug or carpet when the attachment is in use,i.e. forward and backward movements of the attachment would be in alongitudinal direction and sideways movements of the attachment would bein a trans verse" direction. A base plate 37 is detachably secured tothe underside of the body 36 and is provided with an elongated aperture0r suction opening 38 therein adjacent the front end, indicated at 42,of the housing and extending transversely with respect thereto. As willbe described more fully hereinafter, the socket member 25 is centrallymounted in the nozzle body 36 adjacent the rear end, indicated at 33,thereof. A brush roll 43 having beater and brush elements, respectivelyindicated at 40 and 41, thereon, is rotatably mounted in a chamber 44 inthe housing 36 so as to communicate with the opening 38 and to exert abeating and sweeping action on the surface of a rug or carpet underlyingthe opening 38 when the attachment is in use. A central outlet port 46is formed in a rear wall 47 of the chamber 44, and a length of flexiblehose 48 connects the port 46 with the inclined inner head, indicated at52 in FIG. 5, of the tubular portion 24 of the wand socket member 25.Thus, suction at the inlet of the cleaner 21, or from some other source,is communicated through the wands 22 and 23 to the chamber 44 and henceto the suction opening 38 of the attachment 20.

In order to effect rotation of the brush roll 43, drive means in theform of an electric motor 53 (FIG. 4) is mounted in the housing 36, andthe output shaft thereof, indicated at 54, is connected to the brushroll 43by a belt 56 which extends around the shaft 54 and a pulley 57connected to the brush roll 43.

Power is supplied to the electric motor 53 through a length of two orthree conductor electrical cord 58 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 4), which may beterminated either with a standard two or three conductor plug which willconnect to a standard volt A.C. wall outlet or may Qt. terminated with aspecial use two or three conductor plug 66 which will allow the unit tobe attached electrically to only a special use mating receptacle 59mounted in the canister housing, indicated at 55, of the cleaner 21. Thereceptacle 59 is internally connected to the line cord, indicated at 60,of the cleaner 21, and

power to the receptacle 59 may be controlled by the same switch (notshown) that controls the operation of the cleaner 21. The latter switchmay be controlled by a foot-actuated treadle 61 at one end of thecleaner.

When the attachment 20 is receiving power from the receptacle 59, theplug 66 is connected to a receptacle (not shown) in the end 26 of theflexible suction hose 27. Electrical conductors (not shown) extendthroughout the length of the hose 27 and are preferably integrated intothe reinforcing structure thereof.

The electrical conductors in the hose 27 emerge from a boss 67 thereonadjacent the cleaner end 28 thereof as a separate wire 68 having a plug72 at the end thereof. The plug 72 may be a standard two or threeconductor plug which may be directly connected to a conventional 120volt A.C. Wall outlet or it may be a special use two or three conductorplug, which will only allow connection to a mating special usereceptacle on the canister housing. The flow of current to thereceptacle 59 and hence to the plug 72 and electrical motor 53 of theattachment 20, is controlled by the same switch that controls theoperation of the cleaner 21.

In the interests of safety and in order to improve the appearance of theattachment 20 when the latter is receiving power from the receptacle 59,the cord 58 is preferably enclosed in a channel 63 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 3),which extends along the connected wands 22 and 23 an which is releasablysecured thereto as by releasable metal clips 64.

In order to prevent any downward thrust components from being applied tothe body 36 of the attachment 20 when the latter is in use and to permitthe body to float on the surface ofa rug or carpet being cleaned andthus assume an optimum cleaning position with respect thereto, a novellost motion connection is provided between the socket member 25 andnozzle body 36. Such lost motion connection, in the present instance,comprises an axle 73 (FIGS. 4-7, inclusive) which is carried in atransversely extending bore 74 in a generally cylindrical boss 76 formedintegrally with the socket member 25. The bore 74 and boss 76 arelocated so that the axis of the axle 73 is substantially intersected bythe axis of the tubular portion 24 of the socket member 25 are hence bythe axis of the connected wands 22 and 23.

Rug and carpet engaging means comprising at least one and preferably apair of wheels, respectively indicated at 77 and 78, are rotatablymounted on the axle 73 adjacent the boss portion 76 of the socket member25. Each of the wheels 77 and 78 has an enlarged hub 79, and the axialend faces of each hub 79 serve as bearing surfaces for the wheels.

The outer ends, indicated at 81 and 82 in FIG. 7, of the axle 73adjacent the wheels 77 and 78, respectively, extend through a pair ofvertical slots 84 in a pair of transversely spaced, longitudinallyextending Wall sections 86 (FIG. 4) of the housing 36, and into a pairof substantially vertically extending guidewayss 87 and 88 (FIGS. 4, 6and 7) formed in enlarged bosses 92 on the laterally outer sides of thewall portions 86. The guideways 87 and 88 are circular in cross sectionand are of a length substantially equal to that of the vertical heightof the housing 36 (FIG. 6). Movement of the ends 81 and 82 of the axle73 in the guideways 87 and 88 is provided for by bearing means in theform of a pair of spherical guides 93 and 94, which are respectivelymounted on the ends 81 and 82 of the axle and which are axiallyshiftable on said ends. Thus, the guides 93 and 94, control movements ofthe axle 73 in a substantially vertical plane passing through the slots84 and guideways 87 and 88 and, because of their spherical form, permitthe axle 73 to rock to limited extent in the aforementioned plane. Theguides 93 and 94 are retained in the guideways 87 and 88 by a pair ofretainers 96, which may be removably secured to the bosses 92 as byscrews 97.

With the foregoing construction, it will be apparent that when theattachment 20 is in use and is being ma nipulated over the surface of arug or carpet by the wands 22 and 23, the nozzle body 36 is free to riseand fall on the surface of the rug or carpet being cleaned with changesin the thickness or resiliency of the pile of the rug or carpet due tothe lost motion connection between the nozzle body 36 and socket member25. In other words, since the guides 93 and 94 are freely verticallymovable in the guideways 87 and 88, the nozzle body 36 is likewise freeto move vertically relative to the wheels 77 and 78 as the attachment ismanipulated over the surface of a rug or carpet being cleaned.Consequently, the housing 36 will bodily float on the surface of a rugor the pile of a carpet being cleaned and is easily pushed ormanipulated on the rug or carpet. In addition, since the axle 73 islocated in the socket member 25 so that the wheel axis is substantiallyintersected by the axis of the connected wands 22 and 23, the downwardcomponent of the thrust force exerted on the wands is prevented frombeing applied to the nozzle body 36. Moreover, since the guides 93 and94 will accommodate a limited amount of rocking movement of the axle 73in the plane of the guideways 87 and 88, the nozzle body 36 will adaptitself to any irregularities in the surface of the rug or carpet beingcleaned so that an optimum cleaning action is at all times obtained. InFIG. 7, the axle 73, guide 93, and wheels 77 and 78 of the attachment 20are shown in broken lines in the positions they might occupy when thenozzle body 36 is traversing a rug or carpet having an irregular surfaceso that the axle is caused to rock in the plane of the guideways 82 and87. The aforementioned broken line positions of the axle 73, guide 93,and wheels 77 and 78 are respectively indicated at 73, 93', 77 and 78'in FIG. 7.

In order to improve the stability of the attachment 20 if a users gripon the wands 22 and 23 should be released when the latter are in theirupright position illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 and the hose 27 isconnected to the wands and to prevent deformation of the bristles 41 onthe brush roll 43 when the attachment is in storage or resting on a hardsurface, the attachment includes mechanism, indicated generally at inFIG. 5, for extending the wheels 77 and 78 to a predetermined loweredposition with respect to the underside of the nozzle body 36. Themechanism 100 thus comprises at least one and preferably a pair oftransversely spaced ramps 103 and 104 (FIGS. 5a and 7) carried on theunderside of the top wall of the housing 36, and a pair of abutments inthe form of a pair of transversely outwardly extending, coaxial pins ortrunions 105 and 106 on the socket member 25.

The ramps 103 and 104 have inclined surfaces 110 which respectivelycoact with the pins 105 and 106 to exert a downward force on the socketmember 25 as the tubular portion 24 thereof is swung to an uprightposition by the wands 22 and 23. Thus, when the tubular portion 24 ofthe socket member 25 is in its upright inoperative position illustratedin FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, the wheels 77 and 78 will be positively shifted totheir lowermost or fully downwardly extended position, as shown in fulllines in FIGS. 2 and 5. Consequently, the rear end 33 of the nozzle body36 is elevated sufficiently so that when the body 36 is resting on ahorizontal surface, represented by the line 1 11 in FIG. 2, it will besupported on such surface by the wheels 77 and 78 and by the front edge,indicated at 112 in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, of the base plate 37. When sosupported, the attachment is stable and rests on a substantiallytriangularly-shaped base. The attachment is therefore less likely to beaccidentally knocked over than if the wheels 77 and 78 were not extendedand, because the rear end of the body 36 is elevated when the wheels areextended, the bristles on the brush roll 43 are prevented fromcontacting and being deformed by a hard surface.

In order to prevent undesired retraction on the wheels 77 and 78 due toaccidental bumping or jarring of the wands 22 and 23 when the latter arein their upright position illustrated in full lines in FIGS. 2 and 5,releasable retaining means, indicated generally at 115 ijn FIG. 5, isprovided for releasably retaining the pins 105 and 106 in apredetermined position on the ramps 103 and 104 corresponding to theextended or lowered position of the wheels 77 and 78. Such releasableretaining means preferably comprises at least one and preferably a pairof recesses 116 in the inclined sur faces 110 of the ramps 103 and 104for respectively receiving the pins 105 and 106 when the pins have movedto a position on the ramps corresponding to the fully extended positionof the wheels 77 and 78. Spring means in the form of a pair of resilientarms 1 17 (FIGS. 4 and 5) are each secured at one end as by screws 118to the housing 36 so that the free ends, indicated at 119, of the armswill engage and urge the pins 105 and 106 into the recesses 116. Thus,the recesses 116 and resilient arms 117 coact to releasably retain thepins 105 and 106 in the predetermined positions on the ramps 103 and 104when the tubular portion 24 of the socket member and the wands 22 and23, are pivoted fully to their upright, full-line positions illustratedin FIGS. 1, 2 and 5.

When it is desired to disengage the pins 105 and 106 from the inclinedsurfaces 110 of the ramps 103 and 104 so that the wheels 77 and 78 arefree to move relative to the housing 36 and the latter is thereby freeto float on the surface of a rug or carpet being cleaned, a user needonly pivot the wands 22 and 23 away from the upright, full-line positionthereof illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5 to or beyond the inclined brokenline position 24' of the tubular portion illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 5.Thus, as the tubular portion 24 of the socket member 25 is moved awayfrom its upright position toward the aforementioned broken-line position24, the pins 105 and 106 move out of the recesses 1 16 and then separatefrom the ramp surfaces 110. The disengaged position of the pin 106 fromthe ramp surface 110, corresponding to the inclined position 24' of thetubular portion of the socket member 25, is shown in broken lines inFIG. 5 and indicated at 106.

Referring now to FIGS. 8, 9 and 10, an alternate construction isillustrated and indicated generally at 125, for the releasable retainingmeans 115 shown in FIG. 5. The releasable retaining means 125 comprisesat least one and preferably a pair of shoulders or flat portions 126(FIGS. 8, 9 and 10) on the ramps 103 and 104, at one end of the inclinedsurfaces 110, the pins 105 and 106 being movable onto the surfaces 110as the tubular portion 24 of the socket member 25 is pivoted to itsupright, full-line position illustrated in FIG. 8. Thus, when the pins105 and 106 are engaged with the shoulders 126, the pins 105 and 106will be frictionally and hence releasably retained in a predeterminedposition on the ramps 103 and 104 corresponding to the fully extended orlowered position of the wheels 77 and 78.

When it is desired to disengage the pins 105 and 106 from the shoulders126 and inclined surfaces 110 so that the wheels 77 and 78 are free tomove relative to the housing 36, a user need only pivot the wands 22 and23, and consequently the tubular portion 24 of the socket member 25,away from the upright positions thereof illustrated in full lines inFIG. 8 until the tubular portion 24 reaches or moves beyond theinclined, broken line position 24' thereof. The pins 105 and 106 willthen be separated from the ramps surfaces 110, and housing 36 will befree to move relative to the wheels 77 and 78 and float on the surfaceof a rug or carpet being cleaned.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 1-13, inclusive, an alternate guideway andbearing construction is illustrated, for guiding movements of the axle73 with respect to the housing 36. Since the alternative construction issymmetrical, only the portion thereof adjacent to the right end of theaxle, as viewed in FIG. 4, has been illustrated in FIG. 11. Theguideway, indicated at 131 in FIG. 11, is similar to the guideway 87shown in FIGS. 4-7 in that the former is also formed in an enlarged boss132 on the laterally outer side of the housing wall portion 86. Theguideway 131 differs from the guideway 87 in that the former isrectangular, rather than circular, in cross section. In addition, thebearing means, which is movable in the guideway 131, is likewiserectangular in cross section and closely fits the interior of theguideway 131. Specifically, the bearing means is in the form of adisk-like guide 133 having a diameter substantially equal to thelongitudinal dimension of the guideway 131 and a thickness equal to thetransverse dimension of the guideway 131. Thus, when a pair of theguideways 131 are employed in the housing 36 and a pair of the guides133 are mounted on the ends of the axle 73 and disposed in the guideways131, the axle 73 is incapable of any significant amount of rockingmovement with respect to the housing 36. Consequently, the attachment 20will exhibit handling characteristics similar to that of a conventionalupright cleaner.

We claim:

1. In a rug and carpet cleaning nozzle attachment adapted to beconnected to a source of vacuum and to be manipulated over a rug orcarpet to be cleaned by at least one tubular wand, said attachmentincluding a nozzle body having front and rear ends etending gener allytransversely to the axis of said wand and an underside having a suctionopening therein, said nozzle body also having a socket member movablymounted therein adjacent to said rear end and a tubular portion adaptedto receive one end of said wand, and at least one wheel rotatablycarried by said socket member and adapted to roll on a rug or carpet tobe cleaned when said attachment is in use, the improvement comprisingmechanism for extending said wheel to a predetermined lowered positionbelow the underside of said nozzle body in response to movement of thetubular portion of said socket member to an upright position withrespect to said body, whereby the rear end of said body is elevated andsaid body is supported in a stable condition on said rug or carpet bysaid wheel and the front end of said body.

2. The attachment of claim 1, further characterized in that said wheelextending mechanism comprises at least one ramp on said nozzle body, andat least one abutment on said socket member and movable into engagementwith said ramp as said socket member is moved toward said uprightposition.

3. The attachment of claim 2 further characterized in that atransversely spaced pair of said ramps are provided on said nozzle body,and a transversely spaced pair of said abutments are provided on saidsocket member.

4. The attachment of claim 3-, further characterized in that saidabutments comprise a pair of pins extending transversely outwardly fromthe opposite respective sides of said socket member.

5. The attachment of claim 2, including means for releasably retainingsaid abutment in a predetermined position on said ramp corresponding tothe extended position of said wheel.

6. The attachment of claim 5, further characterized in that saidreleasable retaining means comprises a depression in said ramp forreceiving said abutment, and spring means engageable with said abutmentand operable to bias said abutment into said depression.

7. The attachment of claim 6, further characterized in that said springmeans comprises a resilient arm having one end secured to said nozzlebody and the opposite end thereof disposed in the path of movement ofsaid abutment so as to engage the latter as said abutment moves intosaid depression.

8. The attachment of claim 5, further characterized in that saidreleasable retaining means comprises a shoulder on said ramp.

9. The attachment of claim 1 further characterized in that atransversely spaced pair of said wheels are mounted on said socketmember and respectively disposed on opposite sides thereof.

10. The attachment of claim 1, further characterized in that at leastthe front end of said nozzle body is transversely elongated, and saidsocket member is located substantially centrally of said rear end,whereby said nozzle body is supported on a substantiallytriangularlyshaped base when said socket member is in said uprightposition.

1 l. The attachment of claim 1, further characterized in that saidnozzle body has a chamber therein communicating with said suctionopening, a brush roll having a plurality of radially outwardly extendingbristles thereon is rotatably mounted in said chamber and operable whendriven to agitate the surface of a rug or carpet underlying said suctionopening, and said wheel extending means is effective to elevate saidnozzle body sufficiently so as to prevent said bristles from contactingthe surface of said rug or carpet when said socket member is in saidupright position.

UNt'IED STAHES PATENT OFFICE QERTEFICATE 0F CGRRECTION PATENT NO.3,908,223

DATED September 30, 1975 lNvENTORtS) Joseph F. Brooks, et al It iscertified that error appears m the ahhve-rdehtrhed patent and that satdLetters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below- Col. 1, line 14,"Vermeulen should read -both-; line 27, "Vermeulenn" should read-Vermeulen-; line 30, "provided" should read proved--; line 46, "hurd"should read Hurd-. Col. 2, line 36, after the hyphen --3; line 53,"FIJG." should read --FIG.-.

Col. 4, line 18, "novably" should read -movably.

Col. 7, line 32, "ijn" should read -in.

Col. 8, line 37, "alternative" should read alternate;

line 66, "etending" should read extending.

Signed and Scaled this twenty-third Day of March 1976 [SEAL] A lies 1:

RUTH C. MASON Arresting Officer should appear C. MARSHALL DANN(ummisxiunvr ufPatents and Trademarks

1. In a rug and carpet cleaning nozzle attachment adapted to be connected to a source of vacuum and to be manipulated over a rug or carpet to be cleaned by at least one tubular wand, said attachment including a nozzle body having front and rear ends etending generally transversely to the axis of said wand and an underside having a suction opening therein, said nozzle body also having a socket member movably mounted therein adjacent to said rear end and a tubular portion adapted to receive one end of said wand, and at least one wheel rotatably carried by said socket member and adapted to roll on a rug or carpet to be cleaned when said attachment is in use, the improvement comprising mechanism for extending said wheel to a predetermined lowered position below the underside of said nozzle body in response to movement of the tubular portion of said socket member to an upright position with respect to said body, whereby the rear end of said body is elevated and said body is supported in a stable condition on said rug or carpet by said wheel and the front end of said body.
 2. The attachment of claim 1, further characterized in that said wheel extending mechanism comprises at least one ramp on said nozzle body, and at least one abutment on said socket member and movable into engagement with said ramp as said socket member is moved toward said upright position.
 3. The attachment of claim 2 further characterized in that a transversely spaced pair of said ramps are provided on said nozzle body, and a transversely spaced pair of said abutments are provided on said socket member.
 4. The attachment of claim 3, further characterized in that said abutments comprise a pair of pins extending transversely outwardly from the opposite respective sides of said socket member.
 5. The attachment of claim 2, including means for releasably retaining said abutment in a predetermined position on said ramp corresponding to the extended position of said wheel.
 6. The attachment of claim 5, further characterized in that said releasable retaining means comprises a depression in said ramp for receiving said abutment, and spring means engageable with said abutment and operable to bias said abutment into said depression.
 7. The attachment of claim 6, further characterized in that said spring means comprises a resilient arm having one end secured to said nozzle body and the opposite end thereof disposed in the path of movement of said abutment so as to engage the latter as said abutment moves into said depression.
 8. The attachment of claim 5, further characterized in that said releasable retaining means comprises a shoulder on said ramp.
 9. The attachment of claim 1 further characterized in that a transversely spaced pair of said wheels are mounted on said socket member and respectively disposed on opposite sides Thereof.
 10. The attachment of claim 1, further characterized in that at least the front end of said nozzle body is transversely elongated, and said socket member is located substantially centrally of said rear end, whereby said nozzle body is supported on a substantially triangularly-shaped base when said socket member is in said upright position.
 11. The attachment of claim 1, further characterized in that said nozzle body has a chamber therein communicating with said suction opening, a brush roll having a plurality of radially outwardly extending bristles thereon is rotatably mounted in said chamber and operable when driven to agitate the surface of a rug or carpet underlying said suction opening, and said wheel extending means is effective to elevate said nozzle body sufficiently so as to prevent said bristles from contacting the surface of said rug or carpet when said socket member is in said upright position. 